Like, I'd venture to guess, a good many of us, when I buy genuine vintage clothing and accessories online, more often than not, my purchases hail from either etsy or eBay. I have certainly bought from elsewhere across the vast interwebs of course, but such occasions have been the minority, not the majority throughout my life so far.
The many perks of both etsy and eBay are well known to most who have spent time there before (as are both of these sites’ assorted shortcomings and pitfalls - such last second snippers on eBay). The sheer volume of items, potential to snag a great bargain, fact that there's always scores of new listings from a oodles of sellers added to the site every day, the ability to use PayPal to purchase your items from (almost all sellers) on both, and the fact that etsy and eBay have been around for many years now all lend credence to their appeal and widespread popularity.
Some people prefer etsy over eBay or vice versa, others see them as variations of the same concept (especially if you tend to opt for BIN listings on eBay, instead of taking part in many, or any, live auctions). I know lots of folks who adore both, or just one of the two with a powerful passion, and who shop from these sites on a regular basis. I'm also well acquainted with some people who want little to nothing to do with either (in such cases, they've usually had negative experiences as either a buyer or seller). Most of us though, at this point in the 21st century, have purchased from and gotten to know both of these immensely popular websites at least a few times.
Regardless of if you've shopped from either one before, an even greater likelihood exists that you have purchased genuine vintage, vintage reproduction, or vintage appropriate clothing and/or accessories online in your lifetime and that you'll do so again in the future (heck, you might even be doing so right now as we speak!). If you haven't yet, then I'd venture to guess that you're blessed to live in a part of the world that still has a fantastic selection of vintage offerings at local shops, yard sales, flea markets and/or estate sales, or that you're very new to the wearing vintage clothing.
Though a small percentage of vintage fashion enthusiasts have zero desire to shop online from any source, with each passing year, as genuine old school offerings become harder and harder to source locally in many areas, more and more people are turning to the web for at least some of their vintage shopping. For those, like myself, who live in a town devoid of any vintage clothing stores and where the thrift shops very, very rarely offer up mid-century pieces any more, the web quickly becomes my lifeline to the vintage shopping world and as a result, the vast majority of my genuine vintage (as well as plenty of vintage reproduction and vintage appropriate pieces) wardrobe has been purchased online over the years.
In that time, as mentioned above, while I have turned to etsy and eBay most often, I have also come across, and in some cases bought from, quite a number of vintage shops online as well which operate either primarily or entirely outside of the realm of either of the "big two" (or "big three", if we add Ruby Lane to the mix).
I really believe in having an abundance of options when possible. No matter how much you love eBay and/or etsy, there may be times when the item you're looking for, simply isn't to be had on either of them and you want to shop elsewhere online, or when you're just in the mood for some additional variety. It's also important to support those who choose to go it alone outside of the realm of community marketplace based sites.
It's harder to succeed when you do, and those that are able to not only hang in there, but to flourish deserve to continue to be able to do so, and the only way that's going to happen is if folks like you and I buy from them. With that thought in mind, I'd like to take the opportunity this morning to share a selection of twenty non-etsy or eBay online vintage shops, arranged in alphabetical order, that typically stock an array of mid-century offerings that I think you’ll enjoy every bit as much as I do.
1. Another Time
{Boasting a wide selection of Victorian, early and mid-twentieth century women's, men's, and children's clothing, plus lots of accessories, jewelry, and shoes, in addition to millinery and sewing supplies (such as buttons and vintage sewing patterns), Another Time is one of those etsy and eBay alternatives that is sure to find favour with countless vintage fans of all ages.}
2. Adored Vintage
{Undoubtedly one of the best known and most popular independent vintage sellers online today, Adored Vintage's site and merchandise (which includes oodles of early and mid-century clothing, bridal wear, shoes and accessories) is elegant, hip, fashionable, and as lovely as the day is long - as well as always being beautifully photographed and well described. Though Adored Vintage does also sell on etsy, their standalone website is a feast for the vintage loving eyes and well worth visiting time and time again.}
3. Ballyhoo Vintage
{Online since 1997, Ballyhoo Vintage is a great resource for a vast selection of men's and women's (including plus size) fashions, as well as offerings for the younger set to boot, with pieces spanning the 1930s right on up to the 1980s (including a really good assortment of 40s and 50s offerings).}
4. Better Dresses Vintage
{As the tagline of Better Dresses Vintage’s site aptly states, this online vintage seller specializes in women's mid-century clothing and jewelry, which includes such categories as swimwear, lingerie, suits, dresses, separates, outerwear, evening wear, jewelry and accessories.}
5. Blue Velvet Vintage
{A powerhouse on the genuine vintage, vintage reproduction, and vintage inspired fashion front, Blue Velvet Vintage (whom you may remember from this sponsor spotlight post last summer), is chock-a-block with wonderful yesteryear fashions, all kinds of accessories, and a lovely selection of beguiling bridal attire.}
6. Carolyn Forbes
{Specializing in antique and vintage fashions and linens, Carolyn Forbes is a go-to source if you're in the market for high end and highly collectible pieces that any museum would be proud to call their own (just as any vintage wearer would, too!).}
7. Catwalk Creative Vintage
{From the UK comes Catwalk Creative Vintage, a great source for reasonably priced 1920s-1990s fashions, accessories, costume jewelry, books and magazines, and housewares, with new stock added on weekly basis.}
8. Couture Allure
{Specializing in vintage evening gowns and cocktail dresses, Couture Allure also houses as well currated collection of stylish collection of other kinds of mid-century fashions, in addition to vintage lingerie and accessories.}
9. Dandelion Vintage
{One of the first vintage fashion sites I can remember encountering online (long before I even had my own home computer), Dandelion Vintage hit the ground running in 1997 and has been going strong ever since, thanks in no small part to their wonderful section of Victorian, Edwardian, 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s fashions for men and women, as well as vintage children's clothing and of yesteryear household, sewing, collectibles items. Though they do also sell on etsy and eBay, Dandelion Vintage's stand alone shop and selection of reasonably priced items is not to be missed and garner them a spot on this list.}
10. Dorothea's Vintage
{The online face of a popular Des Moines, IA vintage clothing store that stocks pieces from the Victorian era right on up to the 1980s, Dorothea's Vintage has a vast and very appealing inventory (including no shortage of fabulous 30s, 40s, and 50s pieces) that invites one to flip through every last page of listings, no doubt spotting many item you’d love to purchase in the process.}
11. Hat Feathers Vintage
{Sporting both a charming name and website, Hat Feathers Vintage features a lovely, handpicked selection of a beautiful Victorian through 1980s fashions and accessories, as well as vintage menswear and children's clothing, household items, linens, fabrics and sewing items, and aprons. And yes, as their name would imply, Hatfeathers Vintage does indeed have plenty of yesteryear hats in stock as well.}
12. Martha's Closet Vintage Clothing
{In their ninth year of business now, Martha's Closet Vintage Clothing is a popular independent UK shop that stocks an array of well priced (especially if you're shopping from Britain) 1930s - 1990s fashions and accessories, plus a selection of vintage sewing and knitting magazines.}
13. Past Perfect Vintage
{In business for twenty-two years now Past Perfect Vintage is a well renowned, excellent source of vintage fashions spanning the Victorian era right on up to the 1970s. Their items are well priced, extensively described and clearly photographed, three things that always help adhere me to any vintage seller.}
14. Pitti Vintage
{Having the distinction of being the only shop from mainland Europe on today's list, Pitti Vintage is based out of Florence, Italy and ships internationally, so that we can all avail of their charming old school Mediterranean sourced offerings.}
15. Posh Girl Vintage
{Living up their name, Posh Girl Vintage, one of the web's best known independent vintage sellers, offers a highly covetable array of gorgeous mid-century ladies (including bridal fashions) and menswear that is sure to have you swooning and wanting to save up your pennies as you pursue their listings.}
16. Rag and Magpie
{Though many of their offerings focus on the 1960s and 70s, one can still find a selection of lovely 1940s and 1950s pieces from UK seller Rag and Magpie, including such items as tops, dresses, skirts, knitwear, suits, coats, shorts and pants, sleepwear, hosiery, and accessories.}
17. Tangerine Boutique
{Helmed by Melody Fortier, author of the 2009 book The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping, Tangerine Boutique is a delightful site that includes both plenty of vintage fashions for sale as well as articles on various topics pertaining to old school style - as one might naturally expect from a store run by a vintage loving writer.}
18. The Best Vintage Clothing
{You may remember The Best Vintage Clothing from this giveaway post last fall, but if you didn't happen to read about them back then, then let me introduce you to this mega vintage seller today. With a site that consistently has thousands of items yesteryear items in stock, The Best Vintage Clothing is definitely one of those spots you'll want to check anytime you're on the prowl for a particular item or just feel like doing so really enjoyable online window shopping.}
19. Timeless Vixen
{Featuring a well currated selection of high end, immensely chic vintage designer and top quality pieces, Timeless Vixen is one of those places I'd turn to if I ever needed to shop for a serious investment piece that would be sure to turn heads in any room I entered.}
20. Viva Vintage Clothing
{Viva Vintage Clothing started life as a bricks and mortar shop in 1997, later hoping onto the web in 2007, where their site is teaming with swoon worthy early and mid-twentieth century fashions for ladies and gents alike.}
{All images above come by way of their respective shops. Please click on an image to learn more about that particular listing.}
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This is not, by any stretch of the imagination a complete list of all the non-etsy or eBay online vintage sellers out there. The Vintage Fashion Guild is a great spot to check periodically if you're eager to connect with even more such shops like this (be sure to check out their Members with Individual Webshops page for a list of, at the time of writing, more than 45 such online vintage sellers), as is the links page on the fantastic eBay and online antique and vintage clothing seller 1860 - 1960's site.
Also be sure to keep an eye out for local vintage and antique sellers in your area who might have an online shop, instead of (or as well as) selling on one or more of the big community marketplace sites.
In addition, keep in mind that some online sellers focus heavily or solely on on particular type of clothing (for example the online shop Glamoursurf is all about yesteryear swimwear, whereas Blue Rose Vintage, Rue de la Paix and Vintage Hattery are each passionately devoted to vintage hats; Cherished Online is chalked full of vintage bridal wear, and Tweedmans Vintage is devoted squarely to vintage menswear), as well as that a good many sites around the world that specialize in antiques, frequently list at least a small selection of vintage and/or antique jewelry (and sometimes other accessories and perhaps even fashions) as well. All of these types of shops can be great alternatives, or additions, to the biggest players out there when it comes to where you opt to source your vintage from.
Over the years, as mentioned above, I've bought from some of, but certainly not all of these sellers (as well as having the great pleasure of working with some of them as blog sponsors) and have had only entirely pleasant experiences in each case. I hope that as the years continue to roll by, I'll get a chance to purchase from all of them, as well as to return again to those that I've already bought from. It's always lovely to check out pages like these and see items that may differ from, or add to the selection of, those on etsy and eBay.
Have you bought from any of these shops before? Do you have a favourite independent online vintage seller who wasn't mentioned here? Be sure to let me know in the comment selection below, so that I can bookmark their site and, who knows, perhaps include them in another post in the future that delves heavily into this exciting area of the online vintage marketplace.